The number of people over 100 years of age in Japan will top 30,000 according to a survey of the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry. The number of centenarians will reach an all time high of 32,295 by the end of September up 3,900 from last year.

Women count for 85.7% of the total or 27,682 as opposed to men at 4,613. The oldest male Tomoji Tanabe, lives in Miyazaki Prefecture in Kyushu and at 112 is the world's oldest male. Tsuneyo Toyonaga of Kochi Prefecture in Shikoku is 113 and Japan's oldest female.

Okinawa followed by Kochi, Shimane, Kumamoto and Ehime Prefectures (all more rural areas) have the most centenarians. Saitama just outside Tokyo has the lowest.